Search Here

An interesting Neolithic Spanish burial site, full of the skeletal remains of a close-knit group of people from a Neolithic community that lived 6,000 years ago, was found in Spain.

This megalithic tomb was discovered in Alto de Reinoso, in a study  that seemed to indicate that the members of the Neolithic community stuck on steadfast even till death.

Modern-day Europe's burial rituals were introduced by the Neolithics who created megalithic tombs. These were used over a long time to effect collective burials and also for ritual acts.

The tomb gave some clues of their lives and identities. The remains were those of 47 adults and adolescents, and their DNA and isotope analysis showed that the tomb had family members from a close-knit community. They were farmers who cultivated crops and grains and herded sheep and goats too, according to researchers.

"All the extensive data collected, including information on life style, demographics, health status, diet and subsistence, mobility patterns as well as the genetic profile of the group fit in with the typical way of life of sedentary farming populations at this time period," Kurt W. Alt, coauthor of the study, said in a news release.

Within its three layers, most skeletons looked as if they had been manipulated, with missing skulls and bones. The researchers believe that it shows as if the tomb's use was in a state of shift.

"The embracement of a collective burial chamber for the community members rather than individual graves indicates significant shifts in social identity," Alt said.

The findings of this study were published in the journal PLOS ONE.